Noel Toy: Our Lady of Feathers

Fandancer Toy was christened Noel because she was born on Christmas Day 21 years ago. Competitors Sally Rand and Faith Bacon are frequent visitors at Leon and Eddie's, follow Noel's graceful movements with appraising eyes.

Here's another fab spread showcasing Noel Toy and her terpsichorean art that appeared in the cheesecake tabloid CO-EDS (May 1942). The photos are accompanied by their original captions.

U. OF C.'S NOEL TOY
NOBODY'S PLAYTHING
CHINA GIRL CAN DISH IT OUT

Broadway's most publicized Chinese (American-born) glamor girl is appropriately named California Co-ed Noel Toy. Tinytot Toy (five feet tall) was a sophomore language major at University of California when she received her first assignment in the chorus of a San Francisco World's Fair midway attraction. There she was discovered, signed up at Fair's close by Frisco's famed Forbidden City hotspot.

Less than a year later, with but five month's experience as a fandancer behind her, she arrived in New York, became Leon and Eddie's headliner.

A growing reputation for biting repartee and devastating treatment of Fifty-second Street wolves earned introduction to Dramaticritic George Jean Nathan, upon whose elegant arm she often attends First Nights. Lee Mortimer, too, finds her a dynamic supper companion, and, it is rumored, she once received a proposal of marriage from Tommy Manville, who explained wistfully that he "had never been married to a Chinese girl."

It must be noted that Noel detests chop suey, is highly allergic to rice.

Start of fandancer Toy's table routine resembles Tahitian grass hut.


She slowly straightens up, pokes head out.


Above, fans cover all but head and feet.


Her fans flash into action with Sally Rand–like skill.


West Coast's Forbidden City nightclub gave Noel start. Now, after 5-month apprenticeship, she ranks with best.


Having made her bow, she continues routine on floor. Noel attended University of California. A language major, she did right well by French, Spanish, German and Latin, flunked Chinese, paradoxically. She speaks English perfectly.


Noel has keen, thoroughly American, sense of humor. Her Christmas card contained tiny V-shaped G-string.

Finally, for a taste of Noel's sharp wit and hearty laugh check out this 2001 interview, taped when she was a spry 80-something-year-old!

Anna May Wong: Style Goddess

The always fashionable Anna May Wong on the cover of Spanish movie magazine Cinegramas (March 1935). Find the real deal here.

Shanghai Fashionistas: The Thirties

I just discovered these fabulous vintage Shanghai fashion illustrations on eBay, my favorite hunting ground for ephemeral treasures. They're allegedly from a 1930 magazine. To see the illustrations on the backside of these prints or to buy them for yourself, click here and here.





And while we're on the subject of Chinese fashion, let me recommend two items I recently enjoyed: Antonia Finnane's book Changing Clothes in China: Fashion, History, Nation (2008); and Mao's New Suit (1997), Sally Ingleton's documentary about pioneering designers Sun Jian and Guo Pei.

Going Places with HK In The 60s

Soft Film fave Hong Kong In The 60s are generously serving their new EP Places — an intoxicating cocktail to whet the appetite for their upcoming debut album — on the house. That's right. You heard me. It's totally free. Download it here for a limited time only.

Inspired by such diversities as vintage sci-fi surrealist LP and paperback covers and old cassettes of 70s Taiwan pop, Hong Kong In The 60s create amazing sonic landscapes that unfold from the same well of wonder as animated films like Forbidden Planet (1973) and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984). Check out "Garma", which in less than 3 minutes takes you from funky forest terrain to abysmal inner space and back again. The band also concocts some damn fine pop, as demonstrated by the catchy yet ephemeral "Disintegration".

What are you waiting for?! All aboard for Places...

Lin Dai: A Tale of Two Covers

There's nothing out of the ordinary about Lin Dai being featured on the cover of two different Chinese movie magazines during the same month. After all, she was the biggest star of her time. But her simultaneous appearance in December 1957 as cover girl for both Shaw and Cathay highlights the war over talent waged between the rival studios.

Lin Dai sits comfortably for the inaugural issue of Shaw's new magazine

Lin Dai became an instant star with her 1953 debut, Singing under the Moon. Her popularity continued the following year with Spring Is in the Air. Both films were hits for Yonghua Studio but couldn't save the debt-ridden company from closure in 1955. Lin Dai subsequently signed a three-year contract with Shaw and Sons for three films a year. However, the contract failed to include an exclusivity clause. This enabled her to enter a secret agreement with Cathay chief Loke Wan Tho. He also offered her three films a year but at a higher pay. When Shaw found out, they immediately matched Cathay's rate. Lin Dai suddenly became Hong Kong's highest-paid movie star.

Superstar Lin Dai strikes a pose for Cathay's International Screen

Lin Dai's consecutive Best Actress wins at the Asian Film Festival — in 1957 for Cathay's Golden Lotus and in 1958 for Shaw's Diau Charn — consolidated her position as movie queen. She continued to make films for both studios up until 1960, after which she worked exclusively for Shaw Brothers until her sudden death in 1964. For more than 10 years, Lin Dai commanded the box office and ruled the silver screen. She is justifiably remembered today as one of Chinese cinema's brightest stars.

References
Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Women: The Twentieth Century (2003)

Shanghai Girl Goes to India

I was flipping through the Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema last night and spotted something unexpected in this still from director V. Shantaram's 1939 film Manoos. The glamorous beauty in the foreground is Marathi actress Shanta Hublikar, but look closer and you'll notice a qipao-clad calendar girl behind her. Those Shanghai ladies sure got around!

Larry and Trudy Leung: Cantonese Capers

"Cantonese Capers" — that's how the comedy song-and-dance duo Larry and Trudy Leung were billed when they toured the U.S. during 1950 in the vaudeville show "Stars on Parade". Earlier that year, the couple had appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. That performance, filmed during the early days of live television, lies at the heart of Long Story Short (2008), Christine Choy's documentary about actress Jodi Long and her parents Larry and Trudy. After tracking down a tape of the performance, Jodi screens it for her mother and father — more than 50 years after the event. It's a poignant occasion. Larry claims he doesn't remember any of it, yet mouths all the words of his act. Trudy is equally touched. "It's the first time I ever saw myself on stage... I never saw myself before." As her words sank in, I keenly realized the importance of remembrance and felt gratitude for those who've documented the pioneering Asian American performers of yesteryear.

Long Story Short can be watched or downloaded for a very modest price at Amazon Video on Demand. Check out the free preview which includes a clip from their Sullivan Show appearance. Highly recommended!

* A big thanks to Eddy for the reminder about this film.